Folding boarding ladder



Feb. 9, 1960 C. W. TUNSTEAD FOLDING BOARDING LADDER Filed May 14, 1956 Char/es W Tt msw e BY mma ATTORNEY 1N VENTOR United States PatentjO FOLDING BOARDING LADDER Charles W. Tunstead, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application May 14, 1956, Serial No. 584,573 1 Claim. (Cl. 182-156) This invention relates to a folding boarding ladder. More particularly the invention relates to an improved single rod boarding ladder provided with a collapsible step arrangement, movable bumper elements and a hook on one end of the single rod, with the step arrangement and bumper structure pivotal into parallel alignment with the rod and hook on the end thereof.

Many types of boarding ladders with hooks provided on the ends thereof and permanently mounted steps are known in the art. However, the art is needful of a light, economical boarding ladder which is simple to mount over the side of a boat and yet occupies very little storage space in the boat.

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an improved light and economical boarding ladder which occupies very little storage space and can be handled by a boat occupant, or by someone in the water, with facility.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved single pole boarding ladder for attachment to the side of a boat, or other structure, and having on opposite sides of the single pole structure pivotal steps which are movable into operative relationship when turned to extend at right angles to the pole axis and a pivotal bumper arrangement which can be adjusted to provide at least one bumper element at any angle relative to the pole axis.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved, light and economically constructed boarding ladder of a single rod element having one end bent to form a hook for securing the ladder to the side of a boat or other structure, a pivotal bumper which is adjustable to rest against a boat surface, or other structural surface and detachable pivotal steps which may be mounted at selective points near the depending rod end.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the boarding ladder showing the steps in folded relationship with the rod element and the bumper in parallel alignment with the rod element and its hooked end.

Figure 2 is a perspective illustrating the steps in an expanded operative relationship relative to the rod elements and the pumper elements pivoted at right angles to the axis of the rod.

Figure 3 illustrates the structures of Figures 1 and 2 in operative relationship depending over a boat edge.

As indicated by the drawings, the simplified, economical structure herein provided is a light, tubular rod 10, which may be aluminum material, having its one end 11 curved or bent to form a holding hook 12. The holding hook 12 is covered by a light, plastic sheathing 13 and a rubber cap 14 is pushed over the ends of the sheathing and tube. This sheathing 13 and cap 14 protects a painted or finished surface from damage by the metal of rod 10.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the rod length is such that the boarding ladder, when suspended from a boat edge,

has a lower end depending a short distance into the water. Along the intermediate length of the rod 10 and at a point which is spaced at an approximate distance of the depth of a normal boat side 15, there is attached to the r'od 10 a pair of bumpers 18 and 19 mounted upon the leg ends of the pivotal U-shaped rod 20. Centered in the U-shaped rod 20 is an aperture 21 positioned in alignment with aperture 22 in rod 10. A threaded bolt 23 is mounted through the apertures 21 and 22 to secure the U-shaped rod 20 to the rod 10. A wing nut 24 with lock washer 25 is turned down or mounted on the threaded end of bolt 23 to secure the rods 10 and 20 together in a relatively pivotal relationship. Ordinarily, the pressure of the fingers in turning the wing nut 24 down is suficient to hold the U-shaped rod 20 at any angular position desired relative to the longitudinal axis of rod 10. As illustrated in Figure 3, the bumpers 18 and 19 are aligned in parallel relationship to abut against the boat side 15. However, oftentimes the boat side, as represented by 15, is much shorter. In an instance of this character the U-shaped rod 20 can be pivoted to a desired angle in order to cause one or the other of the bumpers 18 and 19 to brace against the boat side and hold the ladder in a mounting or dismounting relationship with respect to the boat side.

At the lower end of the ladder there is provided a pair of pivotally mounted steps 27 and 28. The steps 27 and 28 are provided by short lengths of tubing 29 and 30, respectively, each having an extending free end with their inner ends mounted in pivotal U-shaped brackets 31 and 32. For example, the inner end of step 28 is fastened by a pair of rivets 34 extending through corresponding apertures (not shown) in the bracket 32, adjacent the connecting portion 35 for the legs of the bracket 36 and 37. Suitable apertures (not shown) are provided in the free ends of the bracket legs 36 and 37 and through the rod 10 to attach these parts together by bolt 38, upon which is mounted a wing nut 39. Inasmuch as the leg 27 is mounted in a similar manner on the opposite side of rod 10, the one illustration is believed suflicient. An additional aperture 40 is provided in the rod 10, adjacent the lower depending end thereof, for placement of the step elements 27 and 28 on this portion of the rod upon alignment of the apertures in the bracket elements 31 and 32 therewith and insertion of the bolt 39 therethrough and the apertures at the ends of bracket legs in the manner as described. In order to close the lower end of the rod 10 a resilient cap 42 is'preferably mounted thereon.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my boarding ladder, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that these are illustrative and that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention and improvement.

I claim:

A boarding ladder comprising a rod element having a curved hook at one end adapted to engage over the upper edge of a wall to be scaled, step means located toward the other end of the rod element including a pair of elongated stepping elements, a bracket member for each elongated element having one end fixedly connected to one end of its associated elongated element and its other end pivotally connected to said rod element, said bracket members inclining upwardly when said elongated elements are pivoted into a position normal to the axis of said rod element so that said one end of the elongated elements will then abut against said rod element at opposed points substantially below the pivotally connected ends of said brackets, said brackets inclining at a 45 angle when said Patented Feb.

elongated elements are ndnfial so that said elongated References Cited in the file of this patent el'ehient' an be pivoted ifito parallelism with said rod UNITED STATES PATENTS element to collapse the ladder, and a U-shaped bumper V el me ll l i ie h h? yq ell s nw t aseidy ed @3221? $535611?'Z'IIIIIIIIIIIUSIZ'1 i333 e emen nw ete ei l he e :end an t s en t d 5 2553 438 Caduffet 1. May 15', 1951 st pp n sw e t e a fsai bu r. 2:758:770 Wagner Aug. 14, 1956 mentcan be prov ide'd f rom a position normal to said; 1 'od element to aposition l in: parallelism therewith to collapse the-ladder. E

FOREIGN PATENTS 505,126 Belgium Aug. 31, 1951 

